'I did,' said Jimmy.
'You didn't get into the right train,' answered the station-master, 'or you wouldn't be here. Tell me just what you did, now.'
'Why,' Jimmy explained, 'I went into the waiting-room to eat my sandwiches and then I fell asleep.'
'How long were you asleep?'
'I don't know. It didn't seem very long. When I woke I went on to the platform and saw a train waiting just in the same place, and I thought it was the same train.'
'Well, it wasn't,' said the station-master. 'Whilst you were asleep the Chesterham train must have started, and the train you got into was the Barstead train, which is more than an hour later. A nice mistake you've made.'
At this Jimmy put his sleeve to his face and began to cry. He really couldn't help it, he felt very tired, very cold, very miserable, and very frightened. He could not imagine what would happen to him, where he should spend the night, or how he should ever reach Chesterham. He thought of his father and mother going to meet the train and finding no Jimmy there, and he felt far more miserable than he had ever felt in his life before.
The station-master began to ask him questions, and amongst others where his friends in Chesterham lived. Jimmy did not know the exact address, but he told the station-master his aunt's name, and he said that would most likely be enough for a telegram.
'I shall send a telegram at once to say you're all safe here,' he said; 'and then to-morrow morning we must send you on.'
'But how about to-night?' cried Jimmy. 'Where am I to sleep?'